Boycott Kelowna the week of September 24.

This just in, Kelowna joins Ottawa as another city in Canada to have proclaimed a pro-life week. See this article for more information.

Kelowna, renowned for its beauty and wine, is perhaps less well known as a conservative stronghold. But indeed this is a bastion of Christian fundamentalism, the heartland of domininists, submissive wives and alleged "family values." The Conservatives didn't drop Stockwell Day into this riding for no reason. They knew he couldn't lose there. If it's something in the water, you can bet I'm going to rethink my next purchase of Kelowna peaches, and wine too, for that matter. In fact, I think I'll start a personal boycott right now. Too bad for you, Quail's Gate, Mission Hill, Cedar Creek, Grey Monk Estates and St. Hubert. (For a full list of Kelowna wineries to boycott, see this link.) Let's all boycott all things Kelowna for the week of September 24, and maybe longer. Why not? There's plenty of good wine elsewhere. There's lots of sun in Osoyos and I think the beach might even be prettier. Take that, Kelowna.

Kelowna General Hospital performs abortions, as well it should. Abortion is a necessary medical procedure. But the folks at City Hall and their local anti-choice groups would like to see that change. (That is, until they need one themselves. That's always a game changer. Or one of their daughters needs one. Another game changer. Although in my experience they have the abortion, rationalize that God said this would be all right just this one time and just for them, and go right back to picketing.)

Once again, as we are seeing all over the US, Canada and now Great Britain, the hard right and people in search of a fraction of their votes is selling women out to win elections. They are trading women's rights to self-determination for the favour of a fringe minority who think the blob like bundle of cells she would currently rather be without is more important than the woman (without whom it would not exist). Taking control of a woman's body away from her, whether it is through violence, rape, or by regulating her reproduction, is to enslave a woman. It's misogyny.

What if they declared a "No rights for People From Saskatchewan Week" or "Anti-Toronto Week?" It wouldn't fly. I want to see the line in the proclamation that says, "In order to assert our hatred of women, Kelowna declares the week of September 24 a week where we work towards rolling back women's rights." At least be honest about it. And you women out there, and you men who get it, for goodness sakes, speak up. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and a lot to lose.

You may well ask, why didn't I call for a boycott of something in Ottawa. Like what? Politics? Most of us boycott that already, but if you want to, go ahead and boycott beaver tails.

Bring an end to the insanity while it still exists in small backwater pockets of this country. (Take that, Ottawa.) Let's not let it spread. It is a pox upon our nation. Boycott Kelowna. Send email to mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca